By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
OPERATIVES of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Victory), Calabar, Cross River State, has set ablaze a seized wooden boat laden with 273 drums of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS) popularly known as petrol along the Calabar waterways.
Stonix News had reported that the same arm of the armed forces had earlier denied being responsible for the burning of a Ghana-bound crude oil-thieving vessel arrested by the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd (TSSNL) in October in Warri River following a backlash.
Naval personnel and other security agents monitoring oil theft in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria have continued to apply crude methods in reprimanding arrested oil thieves and their products, thereby devastating the already polluted environment that’ll take ages to remedy.
Speaking with journalists in Calabar, the Base Operation Officer of NNS Victory, LT CDR Isaac Ayogu, explained that the suspects were intercepted en route Agbani Oil Terminal.
He, however, did not explain if the scarce crude oil product was siphoned from the terminal or from illegal artisanal refineries being operated by criminals.
Ayogu said the exercise was in accordance with the standard procedure of the Nigerian Navy as directed by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor that any item arrested associated with crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering should be destroyed and suspects, if any, handed over to appropriate prosecuting agency.
LT CDR Ayogu assured Nigerians that the Navy was out to rid the maritime environment of all illegalities so that legitimate maritime activities could thrive.
He said the six suspects have been handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agency – Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
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